Nastradamus
Family
Nas
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
36
End
228
Internal
96
Multi
280
Slant
11
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Verse 2: Nas]
I'm like a dictionary,✦ y'all rappers✦ exam✦ me
You violate, they read your obituary✦ in front your family✦
You should idolize✦ Nas in the flesh
Don't wait 'til I'm dead to say I was the best, no doubt
We shot hoops with coat hangers,✦ got loot with dope slangers✦
Sold soap to strangers,✦ joked✦ with danger✦
Robbed✦ prostitutes, dodged✦ cops in hot pursuit
Bought weight from rastas✦ and travel✦ hot routes✦
O.T. commute back and forth
Tell shorty✦ get that package off
Fuck being trapped✦ up North, being told where to eat and shit
Caught a case, then I beat the shit
D's on the block flash badges,✦ nylon✦ jackets
Big white boys with guns, yelling, "Freeze, Black kids!"
Got my niggas✦ in the pen, eating✦ octopus
Wishing they was on the blocks with us
To watch me and P do it (Uh), put the heat to it (Uh)
Put it out, first day, the whole street knew it
Bitches, hold their pussies and bop to the music (Woo)
And think deep to it (Uh), now who the truest? (Yo, uh)
[Chorus: Havoc]
Dunn, you fam to me, and only✦ family✦
That can get that close to me, keep it type strong
Blowing✦ green, that's keeping✦ us going
Island hopping, getting right on them 747 Boeings
Dunn, you fam to me, and only✦ family✦
That can get that close to me, keep it type strong
Blowing✦ green, that's keeping✦ us going
Unconditional✦ love showing✦
Yo, yo, you fam to me, and only✦ family✦
That can get that close to me, keep it type strong
Blowing✦ green, that's keeping✦ us going
Unconditional✦ love showing✦
Yo, you fam to me, and only✦ fam to me
That can get that close to me, keep it type strong
[Verse 3: Prodigy]
Dirty✦ fingernails, reaching in my pocket,✦ pulling knots out
I daydream of better✦ days, in different ways
Out this lifestyle we live, iced-out✦ with the big fifth
That's why the burnt leather lean to the left
Even✦ though we gained✦ cash on fish
I'm trapped✦ on reason,✦ being we ain't all rich
And I'ma✦ be that same nigga✦ for the door
And I'ma✦ still walk the same path, we soon clash
We get stacks, you do the math
We pound niggas✦ out, walk away✦ and laugh
Fresh from out the lab, P and Nastradamus, kid
Rap niggas✦ shit they drawers, yo, they probably did
[Verse 4: Nas]
I air condition✦ y'all niggas,✦ my prediction✦ is you rewind this
Your highness, Q-Boro's finest✦
Click your Timbs three times,✦ the wizard✦ is Nas
Grant you a wish, you get rich while listening hard
To my thugs in the prison✦ yard, bench-pressing two hundred pounds and up
Feeling like you down on your luck
Raise up, I feel your pain, hit the law library✦
Appeal the game, all eyes on me
Restrained from being looked✦ at, it's uncivilized
We epitomize✦ thug song, y'all niggas✦ get mad
Jealous rappers✦ is puss, ain't got no style
No heart and no look, shook
Get stole on, my niggas✦ move right in the moonlight
Y'all niggas✦ get done, I pee on them, son, they a small issue
We too official, blue steel pistols
Teflon✦ vests, it's no contest, we hit you
[Chorus: Havoc]
Dunn, you fam to me, and only✦ family✦
That can get that close to me, keep it type strong
Blowing✦ green, that's keeping✦ us going
Unconditional✦ love showing✦
Yo, yo, yo, yo (Yo)
40th side (Yo), 41st side ride
[Outro: Havoc]
Yeah, you know what I'm sayin'?
Not for nothing✦ baby,✦ know what I'm sayin'?
I wanna✦ give a shout-out✦ to my peoples, you know what I mean?
Yambo,✦ Ill Will
Killa✦ Black, my brother✦
It's never✦ gonna✦ be another,✦ word up..
Yeah, you know how we do dunn, word up
[Skit]
The future✦ is nothing✦ but a series✦ of probability✦ made up of decisions✦ that we make right now
But these decisions✦ lead to certain events into✦ the future✦
But every✦ human✦ being has a capability✦ to determine their own future✦
Some are just more in tune than others
Technical Breakdown
8.7
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres7.5
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm9.0
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity8.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control8.5
Performance and control
Computed Score8.72
Production
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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
Nas utilizes a highly rhythmic, percussive cadence to catalog the brutal reality of Queensbridge street life, turning mundane street-level narratives into a dense, rapid-fire sequence of internal rhymes.
A
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
9
Cadence / Flow
8
Vocabulary
7.5
Wordplay
8.5
Delivery
Internal multi-syllabic rhymingPerpetual motion cadenceList-based narrative progressionDynamic vocal pockets
Rhyme Architecture: The verse relies on an aggressive AABB-adjacent pattern that frequently breaks into complex, internal multi-rhyme chains (e.g., hangers/slangers/strangers/danger).
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"I'm like a dictionary, y'all rappers exam me"
① A literal reference to a book of definitions/words.② A play on 'ex-am me' (checking him for credibility/status) and 'examine' (scrutinizing his lyrics).
"Sold soap to strangers"
① The act of hustling fake narcotics (baking soda/soap) as drugs.② A literal description of a desperate, low-level street hustle.
Exceptional rhythmic density and pocket maintenance
Vivid, era-specific socio-economic imagery
High-level flow variation despite a relentless pace
Limited usage of complex metaphors compared to his more abstract work
Some punchlines rely on dated cultural vernacular